BARBARA KRUGER: THE ARTIST THAT INSPIRED SUPREME'S LOGO
Barbara Kruger is a contemporary feminist conceptual artist whose work was popularised in the 80s. Her art critiques capitalism and patriarchy through word/image juxtapositions that draw inspiration from graphic design, photomontage, Russian constructivism, conceptual art, and poetry, among other forms. Kruger's style consists of placing the white Futura Bold Italic font in a red box on top of a pre-existing image, often from various advertisements, serving as a seemingly obvious critique of the image.
One of the most well-known examples of Kruger's signature style is the artwork that inspired the logo for the popular streetwear brand Supreme. The Supreme logo is simple yet striking, with the brand's name in white against a red box.
Supreme was founded in New York by James Jebbia in 1994 as a brand that caters to skateboarding, hip hop, and youth culture, in general. Its collaborations with world-renowned brands such as Nike and Louis Vuitton gave the brand newfound fame and clientele that it otherwise would not have. Despite its origins in counterculture and street culture, Supreme's appropriation of Kruger's work has been controversial.
Kruger's work is motivated by her discontent with the establishment, be it capitalist or patriarchal. She drew inspiration from movements including second-wave feminism. As a young woman working in the male-dominated art world, Kruger found solace and inspiration in feminist artists such as Magdalena, known for her large-scale textile pieces, John Heartfield and Hannah Höch, photomontage artists who respectively created anti-fascist and feminist work in pre-WWII Germany.
Supreme's appropriation of Kruger's work is controversial because they have taken the work of a feminist and anti-capitalist artist and profited off it, thereby promoting the same institution against which she protested so publicly. Kruger's work critiques capitalism and patriarchy, and it is ironic that a brand like Supreme, which has become a billion-dollar company, would appropriate her work to sell products.
Ultimately, Kruger's work is a testament to the power of art to critique and challenge the status quo.
One of the most well-known examples of Kruger's signature style is the artwork that inspired the logo for the popular streetwear brand Supreme. The Supreme logo is simple yet striking, with the brand's name in white against a red box.
Supreme was founded in New York by James Jebbia in 1994 as a brand that caters to skateboarding, hip hop, and youth culture, in general. Its collaborations with world-renowned brands such as Nike and Louis Vuitton gave the brand newfound fame and clientele that it otherwise would not have. Despite its origins in counterculture and street culture, Supreme's appropriation of Kruger's work has been controversial.
Kruger's work is motivated by her discontent with the establishment, be it capitalist or patriarchal. She drew inspiration from movements including second-wave feminism. As a young woman working in the male-dominated art world, Kruger found solace and inspiration in feminist artists such as Magdalena, known for her large-scale textile pieces, John Heartfield and Hannah Höch, photomontage artists who respectively created anti-fascist and feminist work in pre-WWII Germany.
Supreme's appropriation of Kruger's work is controversial because they have taken the work of a feminist and anti-capitalist artist and profited off it, thereby promoting the same institution against which she protested so publicly. Kruger's work critiques capitalism and patriarchy, and it is ironic that a brand like Supreme, which has become a billion-dollar company, would appropriate her work to sell products.
Ultimately, Kruger's work is a testament to the power of art to critique and challenge the status quo.
